What kind of still are you using and what cuts did you take? If you look at
tasteless stuff you really should consider using a column still and doing
conservative cuts and not running too fast.

Slainte, Riku

--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, "knstrt" <knstrt@...> wrote:
>
> Just running my first wash using the Bird Watchers Recipe. I am very
disappointed. Followed recipe to the letter. It tastes as bad as all the rest of
my cooking's. Corn meal, turbo yeasts, etc. Nothing neutral about it! I have
some more batches settling, hope they turn out better. When I was stationed in
NC, ran out of beer one night at friend of friends house, he offered up some
shine in a quart jar, said take a big swallow, I did, went down like water, no
taste at all. Hit my stomach & exploded. Warmth all through my midsection & a
nice buzz too. That is what I am looking for. I may just go back to buying
vodka, as much as I hate the taste. Be cheaper & less hassle.
>

google the the compleat distillers handbook, spelling correct.

On Sun, Jul 29, 2012 at 9:51 PM, deerhunter4047 <deerhunter4047@...>wrote:

> **
>
>
> hello i have been finding it very hard to understand one hundred percent
> clearly what the dirctions to distill corn whiskey means you need to do so
> plz explain everything in very full detail that the very beggining starter
> outer could understand and make whiskey from thank you in advance
>
>
>

On a community water system, just tested it myself with a result of 165 ppm.
Needless to say I don't drink the stuff, and rarely even use it for ice. I don't
want to have to buy distilled water for fermentation, or spend extra money on
water purification system, but may be where I am headed in the end.

Does the levels of solids have a negative effect on the mash or the spirits?

I wondered if any of you have/had similar problems & what your solutions were. I
figure that heavy a water can't be good for fermentation or the end product?
Thanks

Hello to all,   I have a copper valved reflux still with a 2" column packed with
stainless steel scrubbers. I have just removed the scrubbers to clean the still
with vinegar & salt mixture. My new question is this, I have 12 gals of apple
juice fermenting and I am wondering if the finished product would have more of
an apple flavor if I run it without the scrubbers and the reflux ? I have run
apple juice before with the scrubbers and reflux and it yielded a slight apple
taste. I have also thought about just doing that again but cutting it with
unfermented apple juice to add the flavor. What do you all think??

                                         Joe Framer

Hi All,

A conical fermenter is great because it gives you the ability to dump the dead
yeast cels daily. The poop collects at the apex of the cone.  You can see my web
sight www.minibrew.com for pictures.  George Fix, a great beer writer, told me
once, "Great beer makes great whiskey." Unfortunately he passed away before he
got into writing about the good stuff.

Sent from my iPad

John S. Thomas

Is this the recipe?

3 cups tomato paste

Juice 3 lemons

Approx. 18 kg sugar

225 grams fresh regular bakers yeast.

water up to 80 litres.

I only mention this because you used the word "turbo" in your post and I think
an assumption was made.
I do agree though that you should try EC-118 instead of bakers yeast.
That should give you a cleaner wash, also of course the cuts are important and
the more practice you get, the better the results.

Somewere I came across a recipe for vodka using instant potatoes. Does anybody
know anything about doing this or if it is even worth it?

--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, "framers8" <framers8@...> wrote:
>
> Hello to all,   I have a copper valved reflux still with a 2" column packed
with stainless steel scrubbers. I have just removed the scrubbers to clean the
still with vinegar & salt mixture. My new question is this, I have 12 gals of
apple juice fermenting and I am wondering if the finished product would have
more of an apple flavor if I run it without the scrubbers and the reflux ? I
have run apple juice before with the scrubbers and reflux and it yielded a
slight apple taste. I have also thought about just doing that again but cutting
it with unfermented apple juice to add the flavor. What do you all think??
>
>                                         Joe Framer
>

With scrubbers the flavor gets more concentrated requiring very careful cuts. On
the other hand you get higher ABV and less of those very high boiling point
congeners. It's up to you to decide which way you want it. Personally I like to
use scrubbers but run with little reflux at the beginning and then lots of
reflux for the tails cut.

Slainte, Riku

--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, ant chia <achiappetta512@...> wrote:
>
> I will say that it does affect the gravity and in the end the fermentation.
> we filter out water before we cook just to keep the high mineral content
> down. we cook about a thousand gallons per day of fermentation and we use a
> whole house filter @ 25 microns, 50 gpm at 70 psi. will have to say it is
> nice to have a 2 in water main. only takes about 20 minute to fill the
> kettles.
>


I'm wondering just what type of disolved minerals are being filtered @ 25
microns?
Wouldn't there be a need for some type of ion exchange to do it?
Regards,
rjm

Influence of yeast strains -

http://tinyurl.com/8u84zra

wal

New exotic botanicals are being used -

http://tinyurl.com/cmut6pd

http://thecocktailgeek.com/review-gin-mare

wal

I was just feeding the "mother" for tomorrow's sourdough when I started thinking
how nice it smelt and how well it bubbled. Then it occured to me that Belgians
use wild yeast and bacteria for some of their ales and we do sourmashing. Now
could we use the starter for sourdough for ethanol production? Maybe we could
toss a bit of the starter to our sour mashes from the beginning to introduce
useful bacteria that can convert starch? How about sugar mashes then, would we
get ethanol with sourdough starter in an anaerobic environment? Any ideas or has
anyone tried this?

From the South African site (http://www.distillique.co.za)

http://tinyurl.com/9otmdbd

wal

 

From the South African site (http://www.distillique.co.za)

http://tinyurl.com/9otmdbd

wal

Has anyone seen a recipe that comes close to this? I got a bottle for my
birthday last night and I am hooked, so of course I have to try and make my own
:)

There is a practice of speeding up aging by using honey or even maple syrup.
wal

--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, Luke Luke <mr.lukeluke@...> wrote:
>
> I double distill mead made from a strong tropical honey (which has been
> burnt), this gets close to the flavour. add a little lighter flavoured
> honey after it has aged for the sweetness. it is close but doesnt quite
> have that bourbon hit, maybe aged on some bourbon barrel chips? i have a
> theory that adding honey at the start of the ageing process interfers with
> getting the maximum flavour. but then again if you get the balance right it
> might work out well. adding a couple of spoons of honey is a good way of
> smoothing out almost any rough edged spirit.
> if you like the JD honey try the Wild turkey honey.
>

when you say speeding up ageing what do you mean? do people do that when it is
on wood?
adding even a little honey definately makes a big difference. it feels like it
takes about 15 percentage points off. it'll make the roughest spirit taste
pretty smooth.
incidentally has anyone ever made a brew based on maple syrup? i have been
thinking about it-but i think i'm in the wrong country...

See -
Expedited aging

http://www.google.com/patents/US20050042343

wal

--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, "dydd_iau" <mr.lukeluke@...> wrote:
>
> when you say speeding up ageing what do you mean? do people do that when it is
on wood?
> adding even a little honey definately makes a big difference. it feels like it
takes about 15 percentage points off. it'll make the roughest spirit taste
pretty smooth.
> incidentally has anyone ever made a brew based on maple syrup? i have been
thinking about it-but i think i'm in the wrong country...
>

Although it refers to wine it is of interest to aging spirits -

http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20120164300

wal